Courses: Physics (PHYS)College: Natural Sciences & Mathematics

Any TCCN equivalents are indicated in square brackets [ ].

PHYS 1100: Physics Problem Solving Techniques
Cr. 1. (0-3). Designed for students with weak problem-solving skills. May not apply to course or gpa requirements for a major or minor in natural sciences and mathematics. Techniques for solving physics problems.

PHYS 1101: General Physics Laboratory I
[TCCN—PHYS 1101] [TCCN—PHYS 1401 with UH PHYS 1301]
Cr. 1. (0-3). Prerequisite: credit for or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 1301. Experiments in mechanics and wave motion. Credit may not be applied toward degree for both PHYS 1101 and 1121.

PHYS 1102: General Physics Laboratory II
[TCCN—PHYS 1102] [TCCN—PHYS 1402 with UH PHYS 1302]
Cr. 1. (0-3). Prerequisite: credit for or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 1302. Experiments in thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, and optics. Credit may not be applied toward a degree for both PHYS 1102 and 1122.

PHYS 1121: Physics Laboratory I
[TCCN—PHYS 2125]
Cr. 1. (0-3). Prerequisite: credit for or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 1321. Credit may not be applied toward a degree for both PHYS 1121 and 1101. Experiments in mechanics and wave motion.

PHYS 1122: Physics Laboratory II
[TCCN—PHYS 2126]
Cr. 1. (0-3). Prerequisite: credit for or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 1322. Credit may not be applied toward a degree for PHYS 1122 and 1102. Experiments in thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, and optics.

PHYS 1301: Introductory General Physics I
[TCCN—PHYS 1301] [TCCN—PHYS 1401 with UH PHYS 1101]
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MATH 1330 or equivalent. Primarily for majors other than physics and engineering. Credit may not be applied toward a degree for both PHYS 1301 and 1321. Elementary principles of mechanics.

PHYS 1302: Introductory General Physics II
[TCCN—PHYS 1302] [TCCN—PHYS 1402 with UH PHYS 1102]
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 1301. Primarily for majors other than physics and engineering. Credit may not be applied toward a degree for both PHYS 1302 and 1322. Thermodynamics, electromagnetism and modern physics.

PHYS 1305: Introductory Astronomy - The Solar System
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: credit for or concurrent enrollment in MATH 1310 or 1311. Introduction to history and development of astronomy from pre-Greek times through the modern eras. Keller's laws, Newton's laws, recent experimental results from planetary and interplanetary probes, origin and evolution theories for the solar system. May not apply to course or gpa requirements for a major or minor in natural sciences and mathematics.

PHYS 1306: Introductory Astronomy - Stellar and Galactic Systems
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: credit for or concurrent enrollment in MATH 1310 or 1311. Introduction to optics, atomic physics, nuclear physics, and current astrophysical measurement techniques; stellar structure and evolution; galactic structure and evolution; cosmology. May not apply to course or gpa requirements for a major or minor in natural sciences and mathematics.

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Effective through end of Summer 2013:
PHYS 1307: Physics of Energy and Climate in the 21st Century
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MATH 1310. Physics principles of mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity, and magnetism as they relate to the problems of energy and climate in the 21st century.

PHYS 1321: University Physics I
[TCCN—PHYS 2325]
Cr. 3. (3-1). Prerequisite: credit for or concurrent enrollment in MATH 1432. Primarily for science and engineering majors. Credit may not be applied toward degree for both PHYS 1321 and 1301. Mechanics of one- and two-dimensional motion, dynamics, energy, momentum, rotational dynamics and kinematics, statics, oscillations, and waves.

PHYS 1322: University Physics II
[TCCN—PHYS 2326]
Cr. 3. (3-1). Prerequisite: PHYS 1321 and credit for or concurrent enrollment in MATH 2433. Credit may not be applied toward a degree for PHYS 1322 and PHYS 1302. Thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, electromagnetic waves, optics, and modern physics.

PHYS 2340: Science of Sound
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: MATH 1310 or consent of instructor. May not apply to course or gpa requirements for a major or minor in natural sciences and mathematics or as natural science core curriculum course. Sound wave propagation relevant to the dynamics of normal speech and hearing.

PHYS 3110: Seminar in Advanced Laboratory Analysis
Cr. 1. (1-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 1122 and PHYS 1322. A lecture course to accompany the advanced physics laboratory. Lectures in systemic and random error analysis, basic mechanical and electrical measurement techniques, elementary circuit analysis, graphical and computer analysis of data and general principles of experimental and laboratory technique. May not be repeated for credit.

PHYS 3112: Modern Optics
Cr. 1. (0-3). Prerequisites: credit for or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 3110 and 3312. Experiments in geometric optics, interference, diffraction, polarization, holography, Fourier transform optics, graded-index optics, and nonlinear optics.

PHYS 3214: Advanced Laboratory II (formerly PHYS 3114)
Cr. 1. (0-3). Prerequisites: PHYS 1122, 1322, 3313 and 3315. Measurement of e and contemporary experiments in superconductivity, optical spectroscopy, blackbody radiation, alpha-radiation, ESR, and chaotic systems.

PHYS 3305: Introduction to Astrophysics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 3315 and MATH 3331 or consent of instructor. Experimental techniques; stellar structure and evolution; galactic astronomy and cosmology; space research with emphasis on the most recent results from interplanetary spacecraft.

PHYS 3309: Intermediate Mechanics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MATH 3331 and PHYS 1322. Particle and rigid body dynamics, moving coordinates, variational principles, Lagrange and Hamilton's formalisms, small oscillations, mechanics of continuous media.

PHYS 3312: Modern Optics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 1322 or, with consent of instructor, PHYS 1302 and MATH 2433. Geometric optics, optical instruments, electromagnetic waves, interference, diffraction, polarization, lasers, holography, Fourier transform optics, and nonlinear optics.

PHYS 3313: Advanced Laboratory I (formerly PHYS 3113)
Cr. 3. (0-6). Prerequisites: PHYS 1122, 1322, 3315, and credit for or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 3110. Measurement of e/m, h/e, g; contemporary experiments in microwave diffraction and interference, quantized energy levels, energy distribution of beta-radiation, and chaotic systems.

PHYS 3315: Modern Physics I
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 1301 and 1302, or PHYS 1322, and credit for or concurrent enrollment in MATH 3331. The fundamental concepts of quantum physics and relativity. Applications to atomic structure and spectra, black body radiation, solid state physics, and nuclei.

PHYS 3316: Modern Physics II
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 3315. The fundamental concepts of quantum physics and relativity. Applications to atomic structure and spectra, black body radiation, solid state physics, and nuclei.

PHYS 3327: Thermal Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 3309. The laws of thermodynamics, elementary probability theory, kinetics and Brownian motion, equilibrium statistical mechanics of ideal systems; statistical origins of heat, temperature, and entropy are stressed.

PHYS 3378: Introduction to Atmospheric Science (formerly 1378) (also GEOL 3378)
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: MATH 1310 and CHEM 1301 or CHEM 1331 or GEOL 1330 or PHYS 1301 or PHYS 1322. The earth's atmosphere with emphasis on the properties of air, the structure of the atmosphere, the development of storms, and the fundamentals of global climate patterns. Use of weather maps and diagrams will be emphasized.

PHYS 3396: Senior Research Project
Cr. 3 per semester. Prerequisite: approval of department chair. Directed research project culminating in a departmentally approved report. PHYS 3396 and PHYS 4396 must be satisfied in order for any to apply to a degree.

PHYS 3399: Senior Honors Thesis
Cr. 3 per semester. Prerequisite: approval of department chair. PHYS 3399 and PHYS 4399 must be satisfied in order for any to apply to a degree.

PHYS 4198: Independent Study
Cr. 1 per semester or more by concurrent enrollment. Prerequisite: approval of department chair.

PHYS 4298: Independent Study
Cr. 2 per semester or more by concurrent enrollment. Prerequisite: approval of department chair.

PHYS 4321: Intermediate Electromagnetic Theory I
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 1322 and MATH 3363. Electrostatics, magnetostatics.

PHYS 4322: Intermediate Electromagnetic Theory II
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 4321. Maxwell's equations, solutions of Maxwell's equation for unbounded and bounded problems, radiation, and special relativity.

PHYS 4337: Introduction to Solid State Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 1322 and 3315; or consent of instructor. Lattices, reciprocal lattice and diffraction; thermal and elastic properties; cohesive energy of solids; electrons in metals; semiconductors; superconductivity; magnetism.

PHYS 4340: Research Methods
Cr. 3. (2-2). Prerequisites: CUIN 3351 and one of CHEM 1111, 1117, BIOL 1161, 1162, PHYS 1101, 1121 or equivalent, or consent of instructor. Students perform four independent inquiries, combining skills from mathematics and science to solve research problems.

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Effective beginning Fall 2013:
PHYS 4342: Science By Inquiry
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: CUIN 3351 and one of the PHYS 1321 or 1301. This course is designed to build students' deeper conceptual understanding of science concepts and pedagogical knowledge through a process of guided inquiry.  

PHYS 4350: Computational Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: PHYS 3315, MATH 3331, and COSC 1410. Simulation of classical and quantum mechanical problems on digital computers using numerical and Monte Carlo techniques.

PHYS 4356: Introduction to Particle Physics
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisite: PHYS 3316. Basic building blocks of matter, quarks and leptons, and their interactions; symmetry principles, such as discrete symmetries (C, P and T) and flavor symmetries based on the SU(N) groups; violation of some of the symmetries, such as parity symmetry in weak interactions. Phenomenology will be summarized in the framework of the Standard Model.

PHYS 4396: Senior Research Project
Cr. 3 per semester. Prerequisites: PHYS 3396 and approval of department chair. Directed research project culminating in a departmentally approved report. PHYS 3396 and PHYS 4396 must be satisfied in order for any to apply to a degree.

PHYS 4397: Selected Topics in Physics
Cr. 3 per semester. (3-0). Prerequisites: senior standing and consent of instructor. Such topics as solid state, nuclear, theoretical, and space physics. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

PHYS 4398: Independent Study
Cr. 3 per semester or more by concurrent enrollment. Prerequisite: approval of department chair.

PHYS 4399: Senior Honors Thesis
Cr. 3 per semester. Prerequisites: PHYS 3399 and approval of department chair. PHYS 3399 and PHYS 4399 must be satisfied in order for any to apply to a degree.

PHYS 4421: Electronic Devices and Their Applications
Cr. 4. (3-3). Prerequisite: PHYS 1122 or consent of instructor. Electronic circuits and devices with applications to scientific research.

PHYS 4498: Independent Study
Cr. 4 per semester or more by concurrent enrollment. Prerequisite: approval of department chair.

PHYS 5311: Physics for High School Teachers I
Cr. 3. (2-2). Prerequisite: certification in physics or physical science. May not apply to course or gpa requirements for a major or minor in natural sciences and mathematics. Kinematics and dynamics of motion in one and two dimensions, rotational motion, energy and heat.

PHYS 5312: Physics for High School Teachers II
Cr. 3. (2-2). Prerequisite: PHYS 5311. May not apply to course or gpa requirements for a major or minor in natural sciences and mathematics. Electricity, magnetism, waves, and optics.

PHYS 5397: Selected Topics in Physics for High School Teachers
Cr. 3. (3-0). Prerequisites: consent of instructor and certification in physics or physical science. May not apply to course or gpa requirements for a major or minor in natural sciences and mathematics. Modern topics in atomic, nuclear, solid state or space physics. Application of modern technology to teaching high school physics. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

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Catalog Publish Date: August 22, 2012
This Page Last Updated: April 11, 2013